name of God printed in a way that may not be erased
26
votes
6answers
1k views
Is it permissible to erase the name of G-d from an E-reader?
Most people seem to be lenient about shemos on digital screens in general (though Bar-Ilan does avoid displaying the Tetragrammaton.) The letters on the screen are just light, there is nothing really ...
19
votes
1answer
238 views
Pronouncing Hashem's name in a song
Some people are very careful to say Hashem or Elokim when singing a song with one of G-d's names in it so as not to use His name in vain (related question), but I have also been told this is ...
16
votes
3answers
357 views
When blogging/emailing/etc., do I use “God” or “G-d”?
Is there a religious problem with typing out the name: "G-o-d"?
15
votes
1answer
159 views
Saying Hashem's name when studying
I learned somewhere that when you are learning, if you are going to read an entire pasuk without interruption you can say Hashem's name, however if you are going to only say part of the pasuk (for ...
11
votes
3answers
226 views
Is one allowed to have a tattoo of G-d's name removed?
Inspired by Dan's question , and requested by DoubleAA...
If one got a tattoo of G-d's name, either in ignorance or in spite of the prohibition against tattooing, may one have it removed? Would this ...
11
votes
1answer
196 views
Bringing wallet with benscher into bathroom
If someone has one of the small "pocket benschers" that slide into his wallet, is it a problem for him to walk into the bathroom with his wallet in his pocket?
11
votes
3answers
191 views
Is it permissible for a Gentile to utter Hashem's Name?
I have seen a lot of mention about "Hashem's Name" on this website.
I would like to know:
Is it permissible for a Jew to tell a Gentile what Hashem's Name really is--what I am asking is, say, a ...
11
votes
2answers
286 views
Heretics in the bathroom
From my understanding a torah scroll written by a heretic has no sanctity and should be burned (Gittin 45b). May one read torah related material, written by a heretic but that contains nothing ...
10
votes
2answers
125 views
Relationship between wearing a kippa and reciting a blessing
Before I started wearing a Kippa all the time, the people around me and I had the reflex to cover our head when saying the name of G-d or when reciting anything holy.
Since the mitzvah is to wear it ...
10
votes
0answers
80 views
Why do we write the number 16 as tet + zayin? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How could the numerals יה and יו be used irreverently?
I understand that we write the number 15 as tet vav as opposed to yud hey to avoid writing the shem Hashem, but ...
9
votes
1answer
90 views
Bes El or Bes Kel?
There is at least one city mentioned in Tanach named Bes El, written as two words; that name currently belongs to a city in Israel and a number of synagogues and Reform temples. Does that "El" have ...
8
votes
2answers
144 views
How could the numerals יה and יו be used irreverently?
I was told that in the sequence of numerals with Hebrew letters, the numbers 15 and 16 are rendered with טו and טז instead of יה and יו to prevent the tetragrammaton from being formed irreverently.
...
8
votes
1answer
96 views
Why is the Tetragrammaton vowelized in Siddurim and in Sefarim?
I've often found that the Tetragrammaton (Shem Havayah) is often vowelized in siddurim and sefarim. Since we b'davkah don't say the Shem Havayah how it is spelled, why are the vowels included?
Also, ...
8
votes
1answer
80 views
Why is it considered respectful to capitalize G-d and its derivatives/pronouns?
I recognize that in English proper nouns are supposed to be capitalized, especially in the case where a proper noun is also a common noun (e.g. the mall vs. the Mall), but only when referring to G-d ...
8
votes
1answer
175 views
Do photocopies of torah need to be put in shaimos?
Do photocopied sheets (such as chumash or gemara) need to be put in sheimos or can they be thrown straight into the garbage?
7
votes
2answers
186 views
Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed - ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד
Why when someone says Hashem's name in error do we say particularly Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed - ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד?
7
votes
1answer
99 views
Correct way to deal with a damaged mini-torah?
My son is 4 years old.
When he entered Hebrew School at the local (Reform) synagogue, they gave him a mini-torah as part of a Consecration ceremony. Specifically this one: ...
7
votes
0answers
83 views
Does closing a browser with His name count as a sin? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Hashems name on device
Is it permissible to erase the name of G-d from an E-reader?
What are the practical limits of shaimos in the common era?
Forgive me if I get ...
6
votes
3answers
205 views
Double Yud as G-ds Name
What is the significance of the double Yud used as a stand-in for G-d's name?
6
votes
5answers
152 views
Was the world created with din or with rachamim?
I remember Chazal saying somewhere that the world could not survive, had it been created with din/harsh judgement/strictness. However, in Bereshis, at the very beginning, it says:
בְּרֵאשִׁית ...
6
votes
2answers
173 views
Would most Jews deem a tattoo containing the tetragrammaton offensive?
I understand that this question involves a measure of subjectivity, but I am curious to hear people's opinions. I understand that getting a (real) tattoo is forbidden by Jewish law. I also know that ...
6
votes
2answers
96 views
Why is one permutation of the name of God backwards?
If you spell out each letter that makes up the name of God, then add up the gematria (numerical value) of each letter of each fully spelled out letter you get various values. The value depends on how ...
6
votes
1answer
129 views
G-d's Name in Fridge Magnets (Erasing)
If one were to arrange fridge magnets of letters to spell G-d's name, what are the halachic ramifications of rearranging them (erasing)?
If the magnets were small dots, rather than letters, but were ...
6
votes
1answer
115 views
Dropping a phone siddur or chumash
If you have a siddur or chumash on your phone and you drop it, do you kiss it if...
the siddur is not open
the siddur is open, but shem hashem is not showing
the siddur is open and shem Hashem is ...
5
votes
3answers
275 views
How do you pronounce Hashem's name when there is a prefix?
When you have a prefix, such as a lamed, before the name YKVK people pronounce it la | donai instead of la | a | donai. Why?
5
votes
1answer
90 views
Should “Shalom” be treated like a name of God?
Inspired by the "This American Life" podcast cited in this question:
I've certainly seen it written (although I cannot recall the exact sources) that "Shalom" is one of the names of God.
Does this ...
5
votes
1answer
188 views
What is the difference between adonai and adoni?
I'm sure I've missed something quite obvious here, but I've always been told that adonai is "my Lord", and so I always assumed that it was adon with 'my' stuck to it. But, that would be adoni, with a ...
5
votes
1answer
420 views
When do we say Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo?
I'm somewhat confused on when Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo (ברוך הוא וברוך שמו) should be said after Hashem's name in a B'racha (I'm taking for granted that it is only said in the context of a bracha, but ...
5
votes
0answers
98 views
What are the practical limits of shaimos in the common era? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Hashems name on device
I've tried to always be careful in regard to shaimos, but I'm still having difficulty understanding how it maps out in the age of the computer.
...
4
votes
5answers
478 views
ALL Names of God
Where can I find an exhaustive list of all of the names of Hashem (preferably שמות and כינוים) in תנ"ך (Tanakh) and elsewhere?
Is this too ill-defined a topic to have an exhaustive answer?
Do the 70 ...
4
votes
2answers
101 views
Where else is Hashem's name missing?
In Shmuel Aleph, when Shmuel becomes a Navi, he runs to Eli each time Hashem comes to him thinking it is Eli not Hashem. After the fourth time Eli realizes it is Hashem and tells Shmuel (in ...
4
votes
1answer
326 views
Hashems name on device
Is there any issue regarding deleting electronic files with Hashem's Name, and also is there any issue taking such a device into the bathroom.
4
votes
4answers
217 views
Performing miracles with Hashem's Name
Moshe killed a mitzri by uttering a shem Hashem, name of Hashem, according to Rashi, Sh'mos 2:14.
Bilaam pronounced the 42 letter shem Hashem (known as the 'sod ha'affifah) and was able to fly.
...
4
votes
1answer
144 views
Tetragrammaton homophone
If someone has a name in a foreign language which sounds like the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton (YKVK), is there any problem calling the person by name?
4
votes
0answers
68 views
Writing HaShem's actual name in English
Is it permissible to write out HaShem's actual name (the "Tetragrammaton") in English (or any other, non-Semitic, language)?
Does it make a difference how you spell it, ie., whether you write it in ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
Changing the spelling of “G-d” and Halachic erasure
Is there a problem of "erasing the name of HaShem" if you erase the English word spelled G-o-d, and if so, is there then a problem of erasing it in order to spell it in a more acceptable way (such as ...
4
votes
1answer
143 views
Do you have the right to burn your own books?
There are stories of Rabbis who have composed works only later to burn or otherwise willfully destroy them (Rabbi Nachman and The Kotzker Rebbi come to mind). I would understand if they had these ...
3
votes
2answers
88 views
May one say the letters of Hashem's name i.e. “Yud hei vov hei”?
We know we cannot pronounce the 4-lettered name of Hashem.
Is it allowed to say the letters of Hashem's name ie “Yud hei vov hei” as in the meditation before counting the Omer or must one say “Yud ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
If I accidentally write Hashem's name, can I fix it?
Specifically, if I intended to write a tzadei (צ) and I begin by making the two top yuds (') [Hashem's name] - can I complete my tzadei?
3
votes
1answer
171 views
Sheimos in newspapers and parsha sheets
How should one dispose of Jewish newspapers, newsletters, children's parsha sheets, etc. that contain Divrei Torah? I believe some poskim require/allow it to be double wrapped and then left outside to ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
Which Tana said the shem hafemorash and why?
I remember learning a gemarah (midrash?) that one of the tanaim (possibly R' Chanina [ben Dosa]) said the shem hameforash explicitly. Can you source this story and explain why the shem hameforash was ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Is the name of God associated with bris milah?
I recall learning, but have no source for, the fact that part of what is achieved by the bris milah process is a form of etching (part of?) the name of God into the makom ha'milah.
What is the ...
3
votes
1answer
90 views
Why btzelem elokim and not btzelem yud-kay-vav-kay?
The torah states that humans are made btzelem elokim. We know that the shem elokim connotes middat ha-din. What ramification does this have on humans (if any)? Why were humans not made btzelem the ...
3
votes
2answers
98 views
Why do we use yud, yud? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Double Yud as G-ds Name
In the siddur we often do not write out the four letter name of God (yud,kay, vav, kay) but instead write yud, yud. Why do we do this? Is this a ...
3
votes
1answer
166 views
Why can't we say God's name?
Why are we no longer allowed to pronounce the name "Elokim" in everyday speech?
2
votes
4answers
176 views
Is it idolatry to use the english word “God” to refer to Hashem?
Shabbos 67b says "Gad" (גד) was the name of an Amorite idol, and we shouldn't use it. Shouldn't this apply to the name "God" as well?
eg. "God forbid"
2
votes
1answer
55 views
What if somebody says the Shem Hameforash?
Suppose I am having a conversation with a person who is unfamiliar with Jewish tradition, and the person casually attempts to pronounce the Shem Hameforash according to its letters, as some secular ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
'Kavannah' of Shem Havayeh in the first line of Kriat Shma
The requirement when saying the name 'Havayeh' to have in mind both the meaning of 'adon ha-kol' and 'hayah hoveh ve-yihyhe' takes me some time: longer than almost anybody I see in shul taking to ...
2
votes
0answers
37 views
What happened to the second אהי-ה?
Before going to redeem the Jews Moshe asks God what his name is. God says to Moshe in the pasuk (shemos 3:14) that he should be referred to as אֶהְיֶ-ה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶ-ה. To which Moshe responds (see ...
2
votes
0answers
57 views
How did the knowledge of the pronunciation of the Divine Name get lost?
I have heard that there are, in theory, 22 different ways to pronounce the Divine four-letter Name (Yud Key Vav Key) of Hashem and that the one correct way to say the Name has been lost. How did that ...
